1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a variable printing control apparatus for controlling variable printing, and a control program.
2. Background Technology
Variable printing is a technique of extracting and re-using the common portion wherever possible and replacing the variable section alone, thereby saving the image generation time. In the conventional variable printing, the parts to be used repeatedly (hereinafter referred to as “reusable parts”) are rasterized, and are then cached in the internal storage area. After the parts not used repeatedly (hereinafter referred to as “temporarily usable parts”) have been rasterized, they are integrated with the cached reusable parts to create a page image. Thus, processing efficiency is enhanced by minimizing the rasterization of reusable parts and transfer of the same data.
In connection with the aforementioned variable printing, for example, the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-210395 (Patent Document 1) discloses an image conversion apparatus wherein the first image data, consisting of the definition of a plurality of image parts and the layout of a plurality of these image parts, representing the printing image across a plurality of pages is converted into the second image data rasterized and divided into several pages. This image conversion apparatus includes:
a first parts layout section which, based on the aforementioned first image data, creates the third image data having the second layout which includes the page wherein a plurality of image parts are arranged, the second layout being different from the layout of the image parts on the aforementioned printing image;
a rasterizing section for generating the fourth image data by rasterizing the third image data; and
a second parts layout section which picks up each of the image parts having been rasterized, from the aforementioned fourth image data, and arranges each of the image parts having been picked up to suit the layout for each page of the printing image, whereby the second image data is configured.
In the aforementioned variable printing, when the superimposed parts are stored for each page, the number of the pages to be rasterized will be raised to an enormous level if the number of parts continues to increase. This will drastically reduce the processing efficiency. The processing efficiency will be seriously reduced particularly when the data has a small area of the common portion (reusable parts) and is made up of a great number of parts, or when the data is formed of a great amount of variable parts (temporarily usable parts).
Thus, to enhance the processing efficiency in variable printing, it is preferred not to create the aforementioned data that may reduce the processing efficiency. On the apparatus for controlling variable printing, the user cannot be requested to determine if the data improves the processing efficiency or not. Further, the user may possibly create such data unintentionally. If such data has been inputted, a serious reduction occurs in the processing efficiency, in the conventional art.
In the Patent Document 1, non-reusable parts (temporarily usable parts) are collectively rasterized to upgrade the processing efficiency. Collective rasterization requires a second layout. Further, the internal information on the position and size of the second layout must be created, with the result that processing time and labor will be increased. Superimposition of raster images is essential in the Patent Document 1, and therefore, an increase in the number of parts will also reduce the processing efficiency.
In view of the problems described above, it is the major object of the present invention to provide a variable printing control apparatus and control program wherein processing efficiency is enhanced by a substantial reduction in the number of pages to be rasterized.